Improvement in portable platforms for fire and other ladders



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. CRONIN. Portable Platform for Fire and other'Ladders.

No. 213,741. Patented April 1,1879.

P p /M l F W l ATTEST v NVENTOR I N.PE1ER8, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C.

3 sheethsnegt 2 M. ORONIN.

Portable Platform for Fire and other Ladders. No. 213.741. Patented April 1, 1879'.

I '//////////I//I//IIl//////l 8 '///////////I///I/II////)2 e v 3. 3 Sheets-Sheet M9 m i r-lm. A t 0 e m N Ira N h RT an m r "m t t m 6. 3 1 it 9 0 INVENTOR PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN CRONIN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE PLATFORMS FOR FIRE AND OTHER LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 213,741, dated April 1, 1879; application filed March 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, MARTIN ORoNiN, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Platforms for Fire and other Ladders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a crosssection on the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line m 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the king-bolt and bearings. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my device as in use.

My invention relates to portable platforms for supporting and manipulating fire and other ladders; and it consists in a simple rectangular frame sustaining a single supporting-bar on a turn-table.

It further consists in the bifurcated supportin g-bars or standards, which support the ladder or ladders, and the brace-rods which connect said standards or posts with the upper section or leaf of the turn-table.

It consists, further, in the locking devices for holding the turn-table and its load at anydesired point.

It consists, further, in certain details of construction, hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore fire-ladders have been constructed and used with a turn-table mounted on or attached to the ladder-truck. Such devices, however, are objectionable, for the reason that in many instances the ladders have to be used in narrow streets and alleys, where it is impossible to handle a long truck, such as are in common use; and, again, it is desirable at all times to have the bases or bottoms of the ladders a certain distance from the building, so that the weight of the men and the hose will be more nearly on a vertical plane. In most instances this cannot be accomplished with ladders permanently attached to the truck, and the ladders necessarily have to be used while standing at a greater distance from the building, the ladder forming a more acute anglewith the base-1i ne or earth, and increasing the liability of the ladder being broken by beingoverloaded in the excitement incident to fires. Ladder-platforms have also been constructed with one portion of the frame and the derricks or devices for raising the ladders secured to or resting upon the front axle, while the other portion of the frame or platform, which serves as the base and the turntable is detached or portable, and in practice is placed under the portion of the frame first mentioned after the front truck or axle has been removed. This mode of construction is also objectionable, for reasons heretofore given, and also in case anything should happen to the truck proper-for instance, the breaking of a wheel, which is of frequent occurrence-the entire de vice is useless until the break has been repaired. On the other hand, by my construction of a platform, it is capable of being carried on top of the ladders on the truck, may be carried on the engine-tender, on the engine, or in any vehicle, or by hand, it being light and strong,

ease, and thus I have a platform always, and under all circumstances, ready for use, and have a portable platform in the strict sense of the term.

Referring to the drawings, A A designate the two side beams or sill pieces of the rectangular frame A, which are connected together by cross-ties B B. The sills or beams A may have supplemental pieces hinged thereto, as indicated by dotted lines, and when extended may be secured with any proper fastening device. The object of these hinged pieces is to increase the size of the platform and form a more substantial support in case verylong or sectional ladders are used.

To the center and top of the sills or beams A is rigidly secured the lower leaf or section, 0, of the metallic turn-table, having an upturned outer edge, a, or a supplemental strip or band attached thereto, answering the same purpose as the upturned edge.

The cross-ties B B are connected together by a short tie-piece, D, through which the kingbolt or pivotal pin E passes, and serves to hold the upper and lower portions of the platform together.

F is the ladder-supporting beam, and may be made of a single piece of wood, or it may be made of metal in the shape of a square tube to receive wooden or other bars adjustable therein, as indicated by dotted lines, so as to increase or diminish the angle of the guy-ropes, which are attached thereto, and serve to steady so that two or more men can handle it with the ladders when elevated, and prevent lateral sway.

To the under side of the beam F is secured the upper leaf or section, G, of the turn-table, which, when in use, rests on the lower section, C, and within the upturned flange or rim a, where it is free to rotate in any desired direction.

The leaves or sections 0 G are provided on their inner edges with a series of notches, b, to receive the pointed end of the hinged locking-hasp H, said hasps being secured to the timbers B, or at any desired point.

It will be seen that by this device I am enabled to lock the turn-table in a secure manner at any desired point.

To the upperand central portion of the beam F, I attach two bifurcated standards, I I, which receive and support theladders. These standards are braced by rods J, the outer ends of which are secured to the upper leaf or section, G, of the turn-table.

The standards I I are further braced by a semicircular brace, K, the central portion of said brace being secured by bolts or spikes to the beam F, and also provided with a hole to allow the king-bolt to pass through. The beam F is also provided at its outer ends with adjusting-screws c and serrated shoes (I, by which the frame is adjusted to uneven surfaces and held firmly in place. The sills A may also be provided with adj listing-screws and shoes, or serrated shoes alone may be used to steady it and prevent it from moving or sliding on icy or slippery places. The beam F is also provided at its outer ends with braced standards L L, having holes or eyes at their upper ends to receive the. turn-buckles M M, and by which the guy-ropes N are held and adjusted.

A belaying-pin, 0, may be used in lieu of the standards and turn-buckle. The ladder O is of ordinary construction, and may be either a single, sectional, or extenslble one. It is provided with an iron round,f, at the bottom, which, in operation, is placed in the bifurcated standards I I, and held there by pins or keys. A supplemental or lifting ladder, P, is also secured to the round f by means of a hasp-hinge, g, and thumb-nut.

The lifting or supplemental ladder I is also connected to the main ladder O by means ofa rope, h, and bail i, substantially such as shown and described in Letters Patent granted to me November 25, 1873, and numbered 144,958.

It will be seen that when the roundfof the ladder 0 has been placed in the standards I l, and all things securely arranged, that by pulling down on the lever or lifting ladder I the ladder 0 will be elevated to the desired angle, and turned to any point desired for use.

The braced standards L L, to which the turnbuckles are attacl1ed,are of the same height as the bifurcated standards I I, so that when the guy-ropes are secured to the turn-buckles and made taut therein they will be on the same horizontal line as the ladder 0, the guy-ropes and ladder being, as it were, on the same center of rotation, and which has the etiect to keep the guy-ropes taut during the entire op eration of the hoisting of the ladder.

I am enabled also, by this mode of construction, to use metallic rods or chanis for the guys instead of ropes, and have the ladder firmly braced against lateral sway, and obviate any accident which might occur by the stretching of the ropes.

The tie-piece D is provided on its upper surface with an iron strap or bar, 0, having a C11- cular cup-like projection, 8, extending upward therefrom, and on which the iron bar or strap 6 rests, said bar 0 being secured to the under side of the beam F, through which the king bolt passes, affording an additional and easy bearing for the turning of the superstructure.

The sills A may have pieces hinged to their ends, as shown by dotted lines, to which the lifting or lever ladder may be fastened, and thus hold the ladder O in an elevated position, making it a self-supporting device.

When not in use the beam F is turned so as to be parallel with the sill-pieces A A, as shown in dotted lines; and by this mode of constructing a platform I embody lightness, strength, durability, and portability.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A portable platform provided with a turntable, substantially such as described, and with devices for directly receiving and detachably supporting fire and other ladders independently of the ladder-truck, when either in or out of use, as set forth.

2. The combination of the sills A A, crossbraees B B, tie-piece 1), leaf or disk (3, with the single supporting-beam F, leaf or disk G, and king-bolt or pivot E, when constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the rectangular frame A, leaves or disks (3 and G, supporting-beam F, and king-bolt E with the bifurcated standards I I and braces J and K, when constructed to operate in the manner described.

4. The combination of the portable rotating platform, substantially such as described, with the ladder 0, link or bail i, rope h, and elevating or lever ladder P, whereby the ladder is raised, turned, and securely held in any desired position.

5. The combination of the platform A,leaves or disks (1 and G, provided on their inner edges with notches b, with the locking-hasp H and beam F, whereby the two parts of the platform are secured or locked together at any point desired.

6. The combination of the braced standards L L, of the same length as the bifurcated standdards I I, with the turn-buckles M, guys N, and ladder 0, whereby the ladder is held from lateral sway, as described.

MARTIN ORONIN.

\Vitnesses:

W. T. J oHNsoN, B. W. FERGUSON. 

